


Imagination

by A (AILiSeki)



Series: Fictober 2018 [2]
Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events - All Media Types, A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Fictober 2018, Gen, Lem and Olaf being Lem and Olaf, Olaf has trust issues, Pre-Canon, fictober 2018 day 2, pre teens being pre teens, pre-The Beatrice Letters, prodigy child!Lemony, some Netflix references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 08:24:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16193771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AILiSeki/pseuds/A
Summary: Sometimes first impressions are very right.





	Imagination

**Author's Note:**

> Entry for [Fictober 2018](https://fictober18.tumblr.com/prompts), day 2.  
> Prompt: "People like you have no imagination."

"… and for that role, I will get my third Tony. For the ceremony, I will wear a maroon suit made of velvet. If you two are nice, I may even include you in my speech."

"You already have your speech ready?" Jacques asked, with an amused smile.

"Just the outline, of course. I will add the details when the play is written."

Kit raised her hand.

"I have a more important question. What is the difference between maroon and carmine?"

Olaf sighed dramatically. He was starting to regret sharing with them his full plan for the next 30 years of his life. Jacques and Kit were his best (and maybe only) friends in the world, but they simply didn't  _get_  it.

"I mean, does it make a difference to wear a carmine suit in your second prize and a maroon suit in your third prize, or a maroon one in your second and a carmine in your third? Also, what even is burgundy?"

"Are you even following, Kit?" He raised his arms in frustration.

"Why don't you just say 'red' and leave the details for then?"

Olaf looked at her the way any actor would look at someone who let a loud mechanical device make a loud noise during a play.

"People like you have no imagination."

"I think she meant to ask why do you have so many details planned already? You are only ten. A lot of things can change in your life." Jacques said.

"That's not what I meant at all." Kit quickly added.

"Because- because a great future is not built overnight!"

"You are working hard," Jacques said in a kind tone.

"Every single life of my days!" Olaf exclaimed, glad he was finally being understood.

"Every single  _day_  of your  _life_." Kit corrected him.

"That's why you are my best friends!" Olaf replied, not understanding he was just corrected.

The twins shared one of their looks, and Olaf could never be sure if it meant something good or bad. But he knew they were not the sort of people who laughed behind other people's backs, different from some of his classmates, so he wasn't worried. He trusted them. He wasn't even afraid of sounding silly to them, because even though they were older than him, and smarter, and cooler, and good at everything, they were friends.

The door to the twin's shared room opened, and their younger brother entered. There was an awkward moment when the two noticed each other.

Olaf was close to Jacques and Kit, but Lemony was a whole different matter. While he was not on the list of people that Olaf couldn't stand, he was very close to making it into it. They didn't have any personal conflict, Lemony just happened to have all the traits that Olaf hated the most in a person, and the whole "child prodigy" thing got on his nerves. They were the same age, so they shared many classes. Lemony also spent a lot of time in the drama club just so he could be near the girl he obviously had a crush on.

Obviously, Olaf realized that in many aspects Lemony was like his older siblings, but Jacques and Kit were kind and friendly while Lemony had that air about him of someone who believes to be better than everyone else. It was only made worse by the fact that he  _was_ , in many aspects, better than everyone else.

"I didn't realize you had a visit," Lemony said, closing the door behind him and walking to leave a big pile of books in his side of the room. "I will go to the music room to practice for a bit."

"Stay with us." Kit said, in an overly sweet tone Olaf never heard she using with anybody else. "I am sure your accordion won't mind it."

Lemony looked from her to Olaf, his face showing discomfort, and then back to his sister.

"I would hate to impose upon your meeting. Impose means-"

"I know what it means, L." Kit said, pouting.

"Don't call me L," Lemony replied.

"Don't make excuses." Kit countered.

"Don't be such children." Jacques intruded, sounding annoyed.

Olaf thought of leaving, since this was sounding like it would become the sort of family argument no one wants to listen to. That was one disadvantage of being friends with people who were related. But before he could do it, the argument settled, just as quickly as it started, with Lemony mumbling something before sitting with his siblings.

It formed a weird picture, the three of them sitting together. Both Kit and Jacques were completely relaxed (Kit a little more than Jacques), while Lemony was very stiff. Olaf always heard people saying the three looked alike, but he felt like he had never paid enough attention to notice it until now. More precisely, he had never paid enough attention to Lemony's face until now.

"So," Jacques said. "You were talking about your third Emmy."

"Tony." Olaf corrected him, and he heard something that sounded like a snort. He wouldn't have realized that it was from Lemony if Kit had not elbowed him. "Do you have a problem?"

"No," Lemony said, blank-faced. "Please go on."

"My suit will be made of velvet, and it will be burgundy."

"Maroon." Kit corrected him.

Olaf smiled at her. So she had been paying attention.

"Excuse me," Lemony said. "What role granted you such a prize?"

"Not a role. It will be a play, written and directed by myself."

Lemony snorted again.

"You can't write a play."

"Lemony," Jacques said, in a scolding tone.

"I want to see you say that in 15 years," Olaf said. Though his ego was hit by the comment, he wasn't as bothered by it as he thought he should be. Usually, he felt sad hearing insults, but now, maybe because he was with friends, he was ready to fight back.

"You can't write a play even in 30 years," Lemony said.

"I can write one in 7 years!"

"It won't be good."

"It will! I can even get one done by tomorrow." Olaf said with confidence.

"Tomorrow?" Lemony raised an eyebrow.

"In one week," Olaf replied, thinking better.

"I doubt it."

"I will prove it to you."

"Stop being an ass, L." Kit scolded him.

Lemony looked at Jacques as if asking for support. The older boy just shrugged.

"You are being an ass."

"I am in the same Codes class as him. He can't write a play." Lemony said, as if it was an obvious fact, and as if being Olaf's classmate made him an expert.

Stupid prodigy child with his stupid high IQ. He was so used to everyone always saying he was right that he thought he was  _always_  right. But Olaf would prove him wrong.

"I will have it done in one week!"

"Really? And what will you do if you can't?"

"I will admit that you are oh so smart."

"I  _am_  smart. I don't need you to tell me."

Kit elbowed Lemony again, harder this time, and Jacques seemed ready to scold him, but Olaf spoke before he could.

"I will leave the drama club."

That seemed to catch Lemony's interest.

"Olaf, you don't need to do what L says." Kit said. "This is stupid."

"Deal," Lemony said.

"But," Olaf continued. "If I can get it written, you will talk to Beatrice."

Lemony blushed at these words. Jacques gave him a funny look.

"Who is Beatrice?" Kit asked.

"She's just a girl. And I talk to her all the time."

"No, you don't," Olaf said. He knew it, as he spent a lot of time with Beatrice in the drama club. Lemony's red cheeks only confirmed it. "Surely a  _smart_  boy like you would have no problem doing it."

"Deal," Lemony said again, sounding a little less confident.

"And you will say whatever I tell you to say."

"You are going to make me embarrass myself!" Lemony protested.

Olaf shrugged.

"Only if you lose. Besides, I am sure you are  _smart_  enough to revert the situation."

The boys started discussing the details of the bet, including who would judge the play to make sure it counted, at what time it was due, and the exact saying Olaf wanted Lemony to randomly say to Beatrice. Without them noticing, Jacques whispered to Kit:

"Do you think this," he pointed to the two boys, "was a good idea?"

"Maybe we should have let Lemony have a date with his accordion." Kit replied.

**Author's Note:**

> The answer to who won can be found in TBL.


End file.
